Sulky corn-planter



(No Model.)

W. NEWHALL.

3 Sheets-Sheet; 1.

SUL-KY CORN PLANTER.

Patented Dec. 7., 1886.

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W. NEWHALL. 3 Shee'ts-Shet 2.

SULKY GORN PLANTER.

No. 353,969. Patented Dec. 7, 1886.

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(No Model.). 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

W. NEWHA'LL.

SULKY 001m PLANTER.

No. 353,959. I Patented Dec. 7, 1886.

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. ilniTsn STATES PATENT @FFICE.

\VILBERT NEW HALL, OF GOVINGTON, KENTUCKY.

SULKY CORN-PLANTER.

SPEQIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 353,959, dated December'7, 1886.

Application filed October 12, 1885. Serial No. 179,597. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILBERT NEWHALL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Covington, in the county of Kenton and State of Kentucky,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Sulky Corn-Planters.of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingapart ofthisspecification.

My invention relates to that class of cornplanters known as "check-rowcorn-planters, in which the dropping mechanism is operated by a rope orwire stretched across the field.

My object is to increase the efficiency of this class of machines, andat the same time render the same strong and reliable in their operation.V

The novelty of my invention will be herein set forth, and specificallypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a side elevation ofmy improved machine with the near carrying-wheel removed. Fig. 2, Sheet2, is a plan View of the same with the planting and runner frame-workand operating parts removed. Fig. 3, Sheet 3, is a plan View of theparts omitted in Fig. 2. Fig. 4, Sheet 3, is a detail side elevation,enlarged, of the levers for raising and lower ing the runner-frame. Fig.5, Sheet 3, is an enlarged detail side elevation of the mechanism forholding the runners locked. Fig. 6, Sheet 1, is a sectional detail. inend elevation, of the unshipping mechanism for the checkrower. Fig. 7,Sheet3, is an enlargedsectional detail of the meal-valve and operatingmechanism. Fig.8, Sheet 1, is an enlarged sectional plan view of thevalve-operatingmechanism. Fig. 9, Sheet 1, is an enlarged sectional endelevation of the heel of the runner-.

frame. Fig. 10, Sheet 3, is an enlarged detail sectional elevation ofthe seed-plateand cutoff mechanism. Fig. 11, Sheet 2, is a sectionalplan view of the seed hox.

The same letters of reference are used to illdicate identical parts inall the figures.

The main frame of the machine is mounted upon an axle, A, supported uponcarryingwheels B, and consisls of two outer beams, O, two innerrearwardly-extended beams, D, a front beam, E, pole or tongue F, andcross tremities are curved and extend outside of the tread of the wheelsB.

Extending up from and secured to the axle A, at its middle, is a curvedseat-support, J, carrying the drivers seat K, and asccond seat, L, forthe dropper is secured upon a support, M, attached to the beam H, asshown. Two rearwardly-extending arms, N, secured to the beams D, havejournaled at their rear ends the reel 0, upon which is wound'thecheck-rower cord or wire, and from which the same is paid off in' makingthe first lay of the cord.

The runner-frame, as seen in Fig. 3, is composed of fivelongitudinalbeams connected to and supported by a front transverseshaft, P, and a rear transverse shaft, Q. Of these beams there are twoouter ones,-R, to which the runners S and seed-hoxes T are secured, acentral one, U, and two intermediate ones, V. To secure thisrunner-frame, which lies directly under the main frame, to the mainframe, I en1- ploy two upright forwardlyinclined perforated drag-bars,\V, each of whose lower ends is respectively secured to the forward endsof the beams R. and whose upper ends are pivoted to brackets a, securedto the shaft I.

X X are curved braces extending from the front beam, E, and embracingthe shaft Ijust outside of the brackets a, and?) b are bracerodsextending from the beams R to the dragbars \V, as shown. it will thus beseen that the runner-fra me can be raised and lowered, and will swingfrom the brackets a as a pivotal point or axis.

The mechanism for raising or lowering the runner-frame and for forcingthe runners into the ground to the desired depth,and for locking themwhen adj listed, may be thusdcscribed.

Journaled across the beams O D, just over the axle. A, is a shal't,Y.having keyed to it. on the outer side of each of the beams D, asprocket-wheel, c, confined between upright plates (1, secured togetherby bolts e, and attached to the beams D. In rear of these sprocketwheels, and confined between the plates d, are upright bars f, one foreach spocketwheel, having their lower ends hinged or secured, as at 9,Fig. 3, t0 the transverse shaft Q of the runner-frame. A drive-chain, h,secured to the upper end of each of. the barsf is by the bolts 6 made topass around the front of and to engage with the sprocket-wheels c, andthen passing down is secured either to the lower end of the bars f or tothe shaft Q. It will thus be seen that by rotating the shaft Y therunner-frame will be raised or lowered through the medium of thesprocket-wheels,

thedrive-chains, and the barsf. The mechanism for rotating the shaft Yconsists of a pinion, 'i, Fig; 4, keyed to the shaft Y to the right ofthe drivers seat, a hand lever, j, mounted loosely upon'the shaft Y bythe side of the pinion z", and a second hand-lever, k, pivoted, as at Z.to the lever j. Also pivoted to thelever j, on opposite sides, are twopawls or dogs, m n, having spring-extensions o,which bear against thelever 7c, as shown, and the lower end of this lever has a hammer-headextension, 19, which bears against the under side of the dogs mat insuch manner that when the-lever it lies directly upon and is coincidentwith the lever j both dogs are held out of engagement with the pinion t.Then the lever is vibrated forward, the dog m is released, and' itsspring 0 forces it into engagement with the pinion 12in such manner thatby vibrating the lever j forward, the shaft Y is rotated and therunner-frame forced down. The reverse motions of both the levers enablesthe shaft Y to be rotated in the opposite direction, to raise therunner-frame, as will be readily understood.

To hold the shaft Y locked in any of its adjusted positions, I employ adouble -dog, q, Fig. 5, which is pivoted to a bracket, 0', secured tothe aXleAjust to theleft ofthe drivers seat,and which engages with apinion, s, keyed upon the shaft Y. This dog is held normally out ofengagement by a spring, t,'but is providedwith a handle or arm, rubymeans of which it can be vibrated to engage the pinion 8, and whereby alock will be formed, as will be readily understood.v

The check-row mechanism may bethus described: Secured to the shaftI, ator near its middle, is an upright casting, A, Fig. 6, having an upperhorizontaljournal, 12, two vertical journals, w, and two perforatedears, or. Secured in the journal 1) is a short horizontal shaft, a,carrying on one end a grooved wheel, B, to whose hub is affixed a smallbeveled pinion, b, with which meshes a pinion, e, secured upon avertical shaft, (1, journaled in the j ournals w. Pivoted to the ears orare two toggle-levers, e f, whose'abutting ends are formed intosegment-racks, which mesh together, as at g. The upper end of the levere is forked and pivoted to the shaft a, and a v spiral spring, is,surrounding said shaft bears against the upper end of the lever e andthe end of the journal 42, as shown. The lower end oftheleverf iscurved, as shown, and is connected to a pedal, 0, by a wire or cord, h.The pedal 0 is pivoted at i to any convenient part of the frame-work,and its rear upturned end, j, is in convenient reach of the driversfoot, so that by pressing down said pedal the toggle-levers e f areactuated in such manner as to press the shafta through its journal, andto cause the disengagement of the pinions b c.

'This is done whenever it is'desired to temporarily stop the action ofthe check-rower mechanism. By the release of the pedal 0 the spring 70'retracts the shaft a and re-engages the pinions b and c.

As a continuation of theshaft d, and secured thereto by a universaljoint, Z, is a shaft, m, whose lower end, provided with aself-accommodating beveled pinion, n, is confined in a journal, 0, uponthe central beam, U. In this samejournal is one end of a shaft, D,-whichlies longitudinally upon the top of the beam U, and is provided with apinion, p, meshing with the pinion a. The rear end of shaft D isprovided with a beveled pinion, q, meshing with a horizontal pinion,'1', upon the under side of a dished wiper-wheel, E, keyed to a shortvertical shaft stepped upon the beam U. This wheel E has a flat rimperforated with equidistant holes 8', in one of which is removablysecured a plate, 25, having pivoted to it a friction-roller, u.

Pivoted upon the beams Vat v are four vibrating arms, in pairs Fand G,the inner ends of which pairs are pivoted together at w y. The outerends of both pairs are connected together by pivoted link-bars H, thusconstitutingavibratingframe surroundingthe wheel E. The arms H areconnected by means of studs a to the slide-bars I), mounted in suit ableguides under the beams B. These slidebars are connected to and actuatethe dropping mechanism in the seed-boxes T, which may be of the usual orany suitable construction, and are actuated once on every complete orhalf revolution of the wheel E, by reason of the roller u causing thebars F G to vibrate, as will be readily understood.

To cause the operation of the above-described check-rower mechanism, Iemploy a rope or wire, 0", preferably in detachable sections, which,stretched across the field in the usual way, passes from the frontthrough a pulley, I, on the shaft I, thence to a pulley, J, on the beamG, thence to a pulley, K, under the grooved wheel B,up around saidwheel, under a pulley, L, forward to a pulley, M, across to a pulley, N,on the opposite end of the shaft vI, and back across the field, as shownin Figs. 1 and 2. The forward motion of the machine causes therevolution of the wheel B, which drives the check-rower mechanism.WVhere the cord is dispensed with and the check-rower mechanism is notused, an ordinary hand-lever, 0, connected by a link, P, to thevibrating frame, may be operated by the dropper from his seat L.

To clearly indicate the lines in which the corn is dropped, I employ acentrallyarranged hopper. Q, under the drivers seat, with a spout, B,leading therefrom, and provided with any suitable valve, S, connected toand operated by the vibrating frame of the checkrower mechanism, and Ifill said hopper with any white powdersurh as meal, bone-dust, or thelikewhich is deposited at the same time the corn is dropped, and liesupon the surface of the ground halfway between the rows, thus making areadily distinguishable mark that can be seen across the field, and bywhich the driver can see that his rows are kept straight in bothdirections.

To insure the proper dropping of the successive charges of corn, Iemploy a double valve in the chute of the runnerheels, as seen in Fig.9. This valve is composed of a lower portion, 0. pivoted at d, and haspivoted to its upper end an upper portion, 6, which lies between twostuds or pins,f. Openings g, preferably covered by glass, on both sidesof the upper part-of the valve, and against which the corn is depositedand held, enable the dropper to see that the corn is being regularlydropped, and a lower rear opening. h, serves the same purpose. Tooperate this compound valve, I employ the mechanism shown in Fig. 8,where i is a continuation of the bar b, and carries a forked arm, j,which engages with a pin, 7:, upon a spear-shaped slide, Z,working inguides m. upon the rear under side of the beams B. This slide isprovided with lateral hooks a, adapted to engage alternately with pins0", upon an arm plate, p, pivoted as at The rear end of the slide Z isconfined be tween springs s, secured to the beam R, and the front end ofthe arm -plate 10 projects through a slot in the forward guide, m, andengages with the fork of a lever, t, which, pivoted to the casing of thechute, as at a, Fig. 9, engages at its lowerend, by means of a forkedextremity passing through a slot in the casing, with thevalve 0'. Itresults from this mechanism that at each stroke of the slidebars I) theslide Z is operated,and on each forward stroke it vibrates the arm-platep, thereby throwing the valves 0 e first to one side and then to theother. The dropped corn is first caught at the bottom of the valve 6,where said valve comes in contact with the beveled ribs 1)" upon theside walls of the chute, and is there held against the glass windowuntil the next vibration of the valves, when it is freed, and is caughtnear the ground by the lower end of the valve 0', which also engageswith ribs 1). The next vibration liberates the corn, which is droppedinto the furrow. In starting the machine forthe firsttime thehandlever Ocan be operated to deposit the corn at the lower end of the valve 0. Bybeveling the ribs a the corn is prevented from lodging within the chute,as will be readily understood.

To cover the corn after it is dropped, I preferably employ the beams A,which are pivoted, as at w", to the runner-heels, and have pivoted totheir rear down-turned ends inclined disks B, so set as to cover up thefurrow in which the corn is dropped. Instead of these disks a rollerhaving a concaved tire may be employed. To get the requisite pressureupon the beams A, I employ vertical rods :0. which,

passing through perforated plates 2, have their lower ends connected tothe beams A. Adjustable spiral springs y, surrounding the rods or",serve to give the pressure required to the beams A, in the usual or anysuitable manner.

To hold the check-row cord or wire securely upon the wheel B, I employthe spring arms l, whose lower ends carry rollers 2, bearing upon thecord, as seen in Fig. 1. These arms are pivoted to a crosspiece, 3,secured to the casting A, and their upper ends are spread apart bysprings 4, secured in any suitable manner, as shown.

By reference to Figs. 10 and 11, the novelty in my improved feedingmechanism may be thus described: D" is the usual perforatedseed-dropping plate, rotated by the vibration of the slides b. Upon thisplate, within the seed-box T, is a central cap, E, having secured to oneside the arched bridge F, and at the opposite side the cutoff shell G,across the diagonal mouth H of which are three pendent flat springs, I,Fig. 10, whose lower ends come down flush upon the plate D. Just behindthese springs is a second curved spring. J, secured at its upper end tothe shell, and having its lower end formed into a knuckle, K, thatenters successively the holes in the plate D, to knock out the corncarried therein, and to insure its drop ping into the chute of the heel.To the rear of the spring J, and within the shell G, is a yieldingpivoted wall, L, held normally in a vertical position by arearwardspiral spring, M, held in a'recess in the top ofthe shell G, as shown.

It will be seen from this construction that the perforations in theplate D can only carry under the requisite number of grains of corn, andthat these grains will be knocked outinto the chute by the spring J; orshould a greater number pass, the excess would be carried through, pastthe yielding gate L, and so on around without possibility of breakingthe kernels or choking up the cut-off.

Projecting from the ends of the shaft P are detachable marker-arms 5,0fthe shape shown, which, passing over the ground, serve the usual purposeof markers.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim- 7 Y 1. Thecombination, with the shaft Y, for raising and lowering therunner-frame, of the pinions s, bracket 1', double vibrating dog q,spring t, and lever to, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with the wiperwheel E, revolved by the passage ofthe check-row cord through the machine and provided with an adjustableroller, a, of the vibrating frame composed of the pivoted bars F G andcon 7 ranged upon each end of said shaft, substantially as described. p

6. The combination, with the cornchute, of the ribs 0, the compoundvalve 0 e, lever 25, arm-plate p, slide 1', springs 5, arm j, 20andextension i, of the slide-bars b substan tially as and for thepurpose specified.

7. The combination, with the runners S, of

the beams A, pivoted thereto and carrying at their rear endscovering-disks B, substanz 5 tially as described.

8. As an improved cut-off, the combination, with the rotating perforatedplate B, of the shell G, having an oblique mouth covered by pendentsprings I, an internal knocker- 3o spring, J, and a rearward yieldingspringwall, L, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

WILBERT NEWHALL.

Witnesses:

EDWARD W. RECTOR, OTTO RICHTER.

